Department for Transport

Ports: Passenger Ships

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the current funding plans for dredging in Portland and Plymouth Harbours in order for them to accept larger cruise ships, and whether any state aids will be involved.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Funding plans for such developments are a matter for the ports concerned. It is also for the ports themselves, in the first instance, to ensure that their funding arrangements are compliant with State Aid rules and that any prospective Aid is notified to the European Commission as and when necessary through the appropriate channels.

Transport: Infrastructure

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to grow national road, rail and air infrastructure, and to invest in public sector capacity, to match the forecast growth in population to 73 million by 2035.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government’s transport investment strategy is summarised in the Department for Transport’s Single Departmental Plan, which aligns major upcoming infrastructure projects and policy decisions with the four key strategic objectives of economic growth; building a One Nation Britain; improving journeys; and creating a safe, secure, and sustainable transport network. The current Roads Investment Strategy (RIS) provides details of the Strategic Road schemes in which the Government will be investing a total of £15.2 billion over the Parliament. It also outlines long-term aspirations for a smoother, smarter, and more sustainable road network by 2040. A number of strategic studies are currently underway to inform the second Roads Investment Strategy, which will cover the period 2020-2025. The Government invests in the rail network as a means of meeting forecast demand, reducing operational costs, and stimulating wider economic growth. It does this by targeting the four key investment areas of electrification, port-to-city freight connections, intercity connectivity, and commuter travel. High Speed Two overlays this programme of investment and targets many of the same objectives. Details of specific projects can be found in the High Level Output Specification (HLOS), published in July 2012 and in Sir Peter Hendy’s report on the replanning of Network Rail’s Investment Programme. Alongside a decision on additional runway capacity, the Government is also revising its Aviation Policy Framework, which will include work to consider infrastructure.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will establish a compulsory register for drone ownership following similar action by the Federal Aviation Administration in the US; and if not, why not.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are exploring a range of options for monitoring and enforcing regulations on drone use in the UK. This includes the potential for types of registration schemes, such as are implemented in the US and Ireland. The Department for Transport is in contact with both these authorities, as part of our work into understanding the benefits of such schemes, in terms of transparency of ownership and enforcement, as against their costs to business and other users. HM Government intends to consult on options this year.

Merchant Shipping

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether there has been a reduction in the number of British seafarers being employed by the world's merchant marine, and if there has, what action they are taking to ensure that the necessary numbers exist to meet national requirements for British seafarers in time of war.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The latest UK seafarer statistics can be found in the attached document “Seafarer Statistics, 2015” that is also available on gov.uk. In 2015 the total number of UK seafarers active at sea was 23,380, an increase of 2% on the 2014 figure and 2.3% on 2013 figure. The figures for the last five years are shown below: Year20112012201320142015Active seafarers at sea27,01024,10022,84022,91023,380 The Maritime Growth Study, chaired by Lord Mountevans and published on 7 September 2015, recognised the need for more proactive action to replenish and develop the skills needed to maintain the UK position as a world-leading maritime centre. The Government has accepted the recommendations and has already let a research contract to Oxford Economics to establish the requirement for trained seafarers in the UK. However, the Government does not hold data on national requirements for British seafarers in time of war. 



HL7487 - Seafarer Statistics - 2015
(PDF Document, 428.9 KB)

Ministry of Defence

RAF Lossiemouth: European Fighter Aircraft

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on how many occasions since Typhoon aircraft were deployed to RAF Lossiemouth such aircraft were required to use Leuchars as a diversionary airfield; how many such aircraft were involved on each occasion; and what the reasons were for those diversions.

Earl Howe: I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by my hon. Friend the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr Francois) on 5 January 2015 to Question number 219126. There have been no further occasions of Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth being required to divert to Leuchars.



219129 - European Fighter Aircraft
(Word Document, 14.38 KB)

Military Bases: Scotland

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made towards realising receipts through the disposal of high-value Ministry of Defence estate in Scotland since the 2011 Basing Review.

Earl Howe: The receipts received by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) through the disposal of parts of the MOD estate in Scotland since the financial year 2010-11 are shown below: Financial YearDisposal Receipts (£ million)2010-114.092011-124.082012-131.322013-1412.662014-150.922015-160.41Total23.48

Cabinet Office

Lobbying

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new Cabinet Office guidelines that no government grants may be used to lobby for new regulation or more government funding would preclude academics at publicly funded universities, or charities in receipt of grants for specific work, from giving evidence to parliamentary select committees drawing on such publicly funded research.

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new Cabinet Office guidelines that no government grants may be used to lobby for new regulation or more government funding would preclude academics at publicly funded universities, or charities in receipt of grants for specific work, from giving talks, writing articles or submitting letters to newspapers seeking to influence policy if such activity draws on such publicly funded research.

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new Cabinet Office guidelines that no government grants may be used to lobby for new regulation or more government funding would preclude Historic England from carrying out its statutory function as an adviser on the historic environment.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The new clause will not prevent recipients from performing activities that are part of the intended purpose of the grant. It makes sure that taxpayers’ money is not diverted from their intended purpose and wasted on political campaigning and political lobbying. As indicated at the House of Lords Science Technology Committee, BIS and Cabinet Office are looking into how this new clause will apply to academic research.